Ethan tried hard to concentrate on the road and tried to get the image of Lily out of his mind. He hadn't expected to see her there by the road, her treacherous face staring at him. He had planned to pass like he hadn't seen her but thinking about her cursed family and their betrayal caused him to stop and give her a piece of his mind.
He had been in love with the enemy. Now, he finally understood what his uncle meant when he said women were never to be trusted. There he was, already having a bad day just because he saw her. The drive to his office at Oakland went by in a flurry and he parked his car at the executive parking lot before heading into the large building.
The Walter Group was a syndicate of companies, owned by the Walters family for decades. Over time, they had grown more companies that manufactured every agricultural input you could imagine, from fertilizers, to pesticides.
Naturally, Ethan always knew he would work in one of the companies, but when his older brother died, it became clear that he was going to take over the entire enterprise. Fortunately for him, his education at the Harvard Business School and his uncle's experience were there to guide him. Running the family business wasn't a business; if anything, he was a natural when it came to running a business. All he could think of was the best way to avenge his parents' death.
Immediately he walked through the glass doors, Ivory rushed over to him. He didn't think he needed a PA who also served as secretary, at least, he didn't need one following him about, but his uncle had insisted that Ivory be by his side always. The girl was more than happy to tag along.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Walter, you have a couple of Zoom meetings lined up for you, the first one is in thirty minutes. The branch in Japan is proposing to add a new, alternative component to the Agro fertilizer, they claim it's cheaper and more effective.
Ethan wordlessly headed into the elevator, wishing Ivory would disappear, but she slipped right in with him, shifting her wide rimmed glasses that had begun to slip down the bridge of her nose.
"Dora Limings has requested an interview with you."
"Why?"
"The new eco-friendly insecticide we launched, she wants to ask a few questions about it."
Ethan knew exactly why Dora wanted an interview with him and it had nothing to do with business. The last time he was on her TV show, she had focused more on his romantic life than anything else. Ethan made it his duty to stay away from the tabloids and LA gossip; he didn't have time for any of it.
"Is my uncle in?"
"Yes, Mr. Walter, he has been expecting you."
Ethan knew his uncle was about to give him shit for coming in for work late but he didn't care. He had hired a private investigator to follow Crawford and he had been poring over the grainy pictures the investigator had sent him. So far, he had found nothing.
A clicking sound announced their arrival and the elevator doors slid open. Ethan walked to his uncle's office, Ivory fast at his heels. He stopped and turned around to glare at her.
"I will need a moment alone with my uncle."
"Of course, Mr. Walter." He watched her leave before pushing through the door, not bothering to knock. His uncle sat down behind a large, oak desk, poring over some papers. He had looked up when Ethan barged in and watched his nephew sit across from him.
Roger's office was the largest one in the building; it had been his father's office but Ethan couldn't bring himself to move into his late father's office. The walls were deep brown, and the windows were large and wide. His father had always liked a spacious room. A deep brown curtain was arranged just behind the seat where his uncle now sat and it gave the room a stately appeal.
"You're late again."
"I'm sure I missed nothing," Ethan said in a low voice. "Have the Chinese arrived yet?" he added.
"They are on their way. Don't worry about it." His uncle dropped the papers and leaned forward, forming a steeple with his fingers.
"What are you worried about?" His uncle was one of the few people who knew him well, even when he was masking how he truly felt.
"I saw Lily today."
At the mention of Lily's name, his uncle scowled. Rogers Walters looked like the younger version of his older brother, William, and he had been by William's side as they expanded their business. Looking at him, you could tell he was a handsome man, and had been a real head turner in his younger years. Now, fifty-five years old, Roger had refused to marry.
"And?"
Ethan glared at his uncle. "And nothing."
Roger watched his nephew closely. The boy had grown reserved and unfeeling since his parents' death; he had been particularly close to his mother. Although she wore a cold mask on his face, Roger could read him like the lines on his palms.
"Did you say something you weren't supposed to say?"
Ethan had been caught up in anger, he wasn't supposed to mention the Chinese.
"I may have mentioned the Chinese."
If Ethan thought he had the death stare, he had another thing coming from his uncle. Roger couldn't think of what to say to his nephew.
"You do know that she can now pin her family's misfortunes to you now, right?"
Ethan leaned back into his chair, eyes leveled with his uncle's. "She has no evidence."
"I could say the same to you concerning your parents' death."
Ethan flared. "You sent me the message."
"Yes, hoping that by now, you would have found the evidence."
"I'm working on it."
"It's almost a year now."
"Goddamit, I said I'm working on it!" Ethan snapped and Roger curled his head to the side. Perhaps, he had underestimated how much the grief had affected Ethan. He had feared that the boy didn't have the balls to run a business; at 23, Ethan couldn't say the word 'shit' because he considered it a swear word.
Now there he was, looking like an enraged demon in a cage.
"Get ready for the Chinese, they will get here in a few minutes. We have a meeting with Japan too."
Ethan rose up from the chair. "I heard. Hey, what's the deal with Ivory? I don't need her following me around."
"Why are you telling me?"
"Because I know you run this place and she's working under your orders."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Stop her, or she's fired."
Ethan walked out of the office and headed to his own. Ivory promptly reappeared and followed him. Ethan already knew he was going to have a bad day and he grunted at Ivory's chattering. He was going to have a meeting with the Chinese, then head out.